— Champions/FM 1960
This area, located between Highway 249 and I-45, is a popular choice for many residents because of its easy access to downtown Houston. Champions was the first subdivision built in the area about 30 years ago. Other subdivisions to note in the area are Olde Oaks, Northgate Forest and Champions Forest with homes priced from the $100,000s to more than $1 million. Country clubs and golf courses are plentiful in the Champions area as well as shopping with the nearby Willowbrook and Greenspoint malls.

— Coles Crossing
Coles Crossing (www.colescrossinghoa.com) is conveniently located at the junction of U.S. 290 and Barker Cypress Road, and close to many alternate access routes, such as FM 1960, Loop 610 and Beltway 8. A master-planned community focused on preserving the natural environment, Coles Crossing offers 2,630 single-family home sites as well as commercial and multifamily sites, nestled in 1,200 acres of forested land. Single-family homes range from the moderately priced mid-$200,000s to exclusive estate homes on lots one-half acre or larger ranging from the $400,000s to the high $800,000s.

— Cypress/Jersey Village
Cypress, also referred to as Cypress-Fairbanks, or Cy-Fair (www.cyfairchamber.com), is an unincorporated area of Harris County located along U.S. 290, 20 miles northwest of downtown Houston. Serving the educational needs of the community is the highly recognized Cypress-Fairbanks ISD. Population of the area’s zip codes is estimated at more than 587,142. Within the area is the city of Jersey Village, which was incorporated in 1956. Today, there is a new police and fire station to service the needs of more than 7,500 residents in Jersey Village.

— Fairfield
Fairfield (www.visitfairfield.com) is a 3,200-acre development by the Friendswood Development Company that opened in 1988, and at full build-out it will be home to 5,000 families. Recreational amenities include a 15,000-square-foot athletic club with a full-size basketball court, fitness center, special events room and classroom areas. There also is a competition-size swimming pool, tennis courts and a 20-acre sports park with baseball and soccer fields. Currently, Fairfield has eight lakes, six neighborhood parks and six neighborhood pools, plus numerous pocket parks and greenbelts winding through the community. Cypress-Fairbanks ISD services the educational needs of the community.

— Gleannloch Farms
The Gleannloch Farms area was once famous for breeding Egyptian Arabian horses and today is a community with amenities including a lakeside aquatic complex, a state-of-the-art fitness center, a fabled equestrian center, a championship golf course and schools from the highly acclaimed Klein ISD. Nearby is the active FM 1960 shopping district, which includes Willowbrook Mall.

— High Meadow Estates
High Meadow Estates (www.highmeadowranch.com) is located among the rolling hills of Magnolia, Texas, where residents enjoy the comfort of country living with easy access to shopping, amenities and major highways into Houston. The newest development within the community is High Meadow Estates, which features one- to 10-acre home sites. The development is located in the Montgomery Community College district and the Magnolia ISD.

— Magnolia
The city of Magnolia (www.cityofmagnolia.com) is located at the junction of FM 1774 and FM 1488, approximately 45 miles northwest of Houston and 25 miles southwest of Conroe. The greater Magnolia area spans approximately 12 miles in all directions with an estimated population of more than 65,000. Since 2000, the area has experienced a population growth of nearly 14 percent, in part due to the quality of life the area provides. The average cost of a home in the rural community is $140,000, and the area is serviced by the Magnolia ISD.

— Northpointe East
Northpointe East (www.northpointeeast.com) is a neighborhood of affordable, single-family homes located east of State Highway 249. Close by are shopping centers in Tomball, Spring-Cypress, The Woodlands and Houston. The Klein ISD services the educational needs of the area with four high schools, eight intermediate schools and 25 elementary schools.

— Riata Ranch
Riata Ranch (www.riataranch.net) is located in northwest Harris County near Cypress, Texas, with convenient access to U.S. 290. The community features homes built by Philip James, Kaufman and Broad, Pioneer and DR Horton and offers convenient access to U.S. 290. Dakota Blue Homes is currently the only active builder remaining in this community. Amenities include walking trails, a junior Olympic-size community pool, tennis courts and multipurpose sports fields for activities.

— Tomball
Known as the “hometown with a heart,” Tomball (www.ci.tomball.tx.us) is located northwest of Houston and offers residents a variety of housing choices that include new custom and production-builder homes, apartments, rental homes and resale homes. Horse lovers will be pleased to know there are also numerous equestrian-oriented subdivisions with larger lots available. Homes range from a $40,000 starter to a $500,000 spread, with plenty of options in between. The area is convenient to shopping, major freeways and is serviced by the Tomball ISD.